The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-22
THE LONDON POOR.
Labor Troubles Feared Unless Radi.
cal Steps are Taken.

cal steps are Tak0n.
SUNDAY Gable to the Netc York Sun, Sept IL
A winter of unusual hardship is looked
forward to, and Radicals and others whose
political study is the condition of the work
ing man, predict trouble before cold wealth
er is over, which will add considerably to
the embarrassment of the government As
soon as the first frost comes on, pinching
mems frames while lack of work keeps
their stomachs empty and prepares
them for any arguments tending to
better their condition, organized agita-
ton viii be begun by Socialists and
meetings and Trafalgar Square demon
strations, which SO affect capitalistic nerves
will be begun with fresh vigor Trafalgar
Square is now and has been for some time
past the Scene of demonstrations which
ought to stir up feelings of some sort, if only
those of personal alarm, in the hearts of the
rich who have to dread the effect of unusual
suffering among the poor. Stories have
been told for days past of unhappy wretches
sleeping by dozens upon the stones for lack
of lodging, and it seemed that the few re-
ports published of the matter must have
been colored by strong ilnaginations.
visited Trafalgar Square this morning
at 2:3O O'Clock, upon leaving the House
of Commons, and learned that the
accounts which | had read gave
but weak idea of the real condition of
affairs. 1t was a bleak night, with thin.
cold rain drilling down at intervals. and
the air was full of dampness At a distance
the huge square, all paved with stone and
ill-lighted, appeared deserted, but every
thing changed on nearer acquaintance, and
it became evident that from his majestic
column shooting high up into the air the
one-armed figure of Nelson looked down
upon a huge encampment of degradation.
filth and poverty Not less than 900 mis-
cradle human beings were crowded together
on the damp stones of the square. A dozen
or twenty men, clinging, it seemed to clean
illness intheir poverty, were gathered around
the edge of the big fountains, washing them
selves or their belongings. One man, rather
old
STOOD NAKED TO THE WAIST
washing his shirt. When left he was still
naked, alternately wringing his shirt and
hanging it up to dry, trying all sorts of
devices to protect it from the misty rain
A young man, having stripped himself
quite naked, was taking a complete bath,
but prudence, wise in such company, kept
him ever close to the edge of his stone tub,
with his scanty raiment held firmly in his
grasp. Those who INDUCED in foot baths
We're many, The approved plan appeared
to be for the bather to remove his shoes if
he had any-stockings of any sort
seemed out of the question-and to
take up as comfortable a posi-
ton as possible on the edge of the basin,
and, then with trousers or shirts held up, to
allow his feet to dangle in the water until
swelling and pain should have ceased to
worry by sheer process of freezing. There
were others still more plentiful, especially
among the women, engaged in washing out
various bits of linen. One very straight
old man, who looked as though he might
have been in the army, was hard at work,
as | arrived, upon a large red bandana
handkerchief, in which all of his remaining
pride was evidently conferred. A few, whose
heroism cannot be overestimated, consid-
ering the condition of the water in the foun-
tians, were washing their faces OF even
dipping their heads completely under.
In the different parts of the thickly crowded
square was seen almost every branch of
housekeeping open to extreme poverty, for
while the majority were sleeping or trying
to sleep, others were engaged in operations
specially adapted to the night. An example
of industry and resignation was afforded by
an old woman and her husband, sitting side
by side under one of the few lights. The
old woman was hard at work mending
something. The old man, who sat very
quiet, had his legs
WRAPPED UP IN BITS OF NEWSPAPER
fastened here and there with strings. Il
was the garment which should have held
the place of the newspapers, and which is so
absolutely indispensable in the daytime
upon which the old mans companion was
working SO industriously, while night pro-
tected her husband and made newspaper
substitutes POI. ole The active members
of this misery Comp were gathered about
the fountains and under the rare gas
lamps. The grand dormitory was on the
north side, where Pail Mall, bounding the
stony expanse, rises above the level of
the square, which emf here in high wall.
Against this wall thu sleepers Law in long
rows, four, five, and in some places as
many as ten deep, ss,king protection from
the chilling wind thai l.7I from the north.
There were few wood.n benches scattered
along and these had been eagerly sought
early in the night as choice berths. Some
were occupied by but one lucky tenant
stretched comfortably out, and always
displaying a breadth of back and thick
ness of limb that proved him able to main
tain his rare privileges against all clam
orers for fair play The majority, how
ever, were crowded with men and women
sitting closely packed side by side, sleeping
with mouths open and heads hanging back
1t was not pretty sight. Those on the
benches, however, were the lucky ones, the
aristocrats of the dormitory. A larger
number were stretched out on Une damp
stones, with their heads upon a rolled gar
ment, newspaper, or resting simply on the
sleeper's arm. A sadly large number were
women, especially among those least com
fortably placed. The majority were rather
under middle age, some barely 20, will
miserable rags, matted hair, bad faces anc
every sign of degradation. There was on'
striking exception noticed by me to tn,
general rule of evident debasement among
the women. 1t was that of
PALE, THIN CREATURE,
shockingly clad, lying upon her back on thu
stones, apparently asleep, and holding il
her arms a baby thinner and paler, anc
wrapped in a shawl that the mother sadly
needed for herself. Luckily the child wa
not doomed to pass the night there, for two
men whom noticed walking about among
the women, awol1e the mother, and, after 8
few moments of querulous expostulation OF
her part, carried it off. These men have
been engaged for nights past-employed,
believe, by some charity-to gather UP the
very young children to whom such exposure
might mean speedy death. The men went
away with that baby and two Others which
they had gathered up, and drove off in q
van. After they had gone the mother
wrapped herself in her shawl, which they
had left, but did not lie down or go to SLEEP
again. She still sat rocking herself back
ward and forward when | last saw her
Her history, if it could be known, would
certainly have revealed degree of misery
rare even in such collection of wretched